Arkansas Tech University announced Thursday Dr. Ardith Morris, director of the theater department, and Kate Brugh, production manager for the theater program, have been reassigned to full-time teaching duties within the Department of Speech, Theatre and Journalism. Both Morris and Brugh are tenured members of the Tech faculty. Dr. David Eshelman, assistant professor of speech at Arkansas Tech since 2006, has been named interim director of the university theater program.

According to a release from Arkansas Tech, the decision to change leadership in the theater program was based on the closure of the Techionery theater workshop, “stagnant” participation in the program, scores on an exam to enter the teacher education program that are “not acceptable to the univeristy” and declining graduation rates.

Director of University Relations Sam Strasner said the issues, with the exception of the fire marshall’s report, came to light during the self-study portion of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE) review of the Arkansas Tech Bachelor of Arts degree in speech — including the theater option within that degree.

“This was a thoughtful and deliberate process to review the program and make the best decision for the program and the students moving forward,” Strasner said.

On Jan. 12, the university announced the cancellation of the spring production schedule, which was to include productions of “Twelfth Night” in February, an undergraduate thesis project in March and student-directed, one-act plays slated for April.

When asked if Morris’ recent comments to the media following the cancellation played a part in the decision to remove her as director of the program, Strasner said only the four factors cited in the release were considered. He also said the salaries for Morris and Brugh will remain the same.

Several theater students gathered at Morris’ office following the announcement. One of those students, junior theater major Hannah Leigh Baker, said the student’s response was one of shock.

“I’m mad — really upset,” Baker said. “I’m just kind of dumbfounded. As much as I want to, I can’t say that I’m surprised, but that doesn’t make me hate it less. There is not a better person for a director of a theater department than Ardith. She can still teach, but she is the only person I would ever think of as having this job right now and that’s not anything negative against David. I love Dr. Eschelman, but Ardith is built for this.”

Phone calls seeking comment from Morris and Brugh were not returned by press time Thursday.

The news release said Eshelman’s first assignment will be to will be to oversee the clean-up and restoration of the Techionery theater workshop, and the university has committed to providing the resources necessary to bring about the revitalization of that facility.

Eshelman’s background in theater includes writing plays and monodramas that have been performed in such locales as Chicago and New York City. He is the founder of the Arkansas Radio Theatre, which operates within the Arkansas Tech Department of Speech, Theatre and Journalism.

Eshelman holds a Ph.D. in theater from the University of Missouri. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Case Western Reserve University and his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

“I am excited about the future of the theater program at Arkansas Tech and my role in it,” said Eshelman. “I have enjoyed working with the students involved in Tech theater over the past six years. I look forward to what the future holds.”

The self-study, which includes input from members of the Arkansas Tech speech and theater faculty, is scheduled to be completed in mid-February. In March, a team of independent evaluators selected by ADHE will visit Arkansas Tech to conduct an on-site visit as part of the program review.

The independent evaluators will use the self-study and their own observations to compile a report, which will be returned to the Arkansas Tech Department of Speech, Theatre and Journalism in mid-April. The self-study report, the independent evaluators’ report and university comments to the reports will be forwarded to ADHE in early May.

Student response to Morris demotion

Following the announcement of the removal of Dr. Ardith Morris as director of the Arkansas Tech theater program, students shared their reaction to the decision on Thursday.

Tim Jarmon, junior theater major, on the program’s enrollment numbers and the decision to remove Ardith Morris as director:

“It’s not the theater department that is falling. It’s falling relative to the art program, which understandably is growing rapidly with their new facility. They have received a lot of bad press over this and they need a scapegoat. And Ardith is being the scapegoat right now. That’s how it looks to me.”

“She’s been doing this forever. She was my first taste of theater so I will always hold her in high regard because she is what brought me from wondering, ‘I don’t know what I want to do with my life’ to ‘Oh, I’ve found my passion now.’ She knows it inside and out. She knows every thing there is to know about directing and how people as actors work. And not only that, she knows the ins and outs of the higher up and the logistics — the paperwork side of it. She has experience.”

Baker on the general response of theater students:

“The immediate response was shock and all of the students being upset. If people thought we were going to be quiet after this, they’re wrong. We were trying to do things tactfully and quietly and kind of just get things rolling slowly. But this has lit a fire under us. We are so upset and her absence will be felt. Everybody loves her. Most of us were brought in by her and it’s hard to imagine being here without her leadership and her guidance.”

RC Ragsdale, senior theater major, on the feeling of family within the theater department:

“They kind of adopted all of us as their children. That’s the way the theater is. We’re family. We adopt each other as brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles and so on. Former students become our older aunts and uncles. Then Kate and Ardith adopt us as mothers. Instead of teaching us what we need to know to survive, they teach us what we need to know to survive in theater. They raise us in how to deal with the world as theater people.”

Ragsdale on Facebook response to news of the decision:

“(The university) had to have known that all of her students — current, former and so on — were going to be absolutely furious. In the hour since, she posted that she lost the position, she’s had 57 long replies from students and former students. We’re not going to sit quietly and idly as one of our staff members gets basically removed.”

Nathan Freeman, former theater student who opted not to return for the spring semester when he learned his thesis play could not be performed, on the announcement that the university will financially support the revitalization of the Techionery building.

“I don’t see why Ardith or Kate couldn’t have done that (led the revitalization effort). Instead of telling them how to clean it up, they promote someone else to do it.”

The demotion of these two knowledgeable women is an outrage! TECH is not going to find a replacement in this nation that is more qualified than Dr. Morris and Professor Burgh . . . but sadly enough, I believe that may be the point. Arkansas Tech University I am disappointed. To the Russellville Courier, thank you for getting this story out there. The theatre program is going to need all of the support they can get, because clearly, they are not getting it from their University.

Thank you for your hard work on this well-written article. Dr. Morriss and Professor Brugh are the two reasons why I have been able to have such an amazing career. If there is anything to the legality of their release, I would be grateful if you took the time to write an article on it. Our wonderful laws of freedom of press allow it so that Cops and Judges aren't the only ones who can fight injustice, writers can too.

Glad to see the Courier covering this news piece that's so important to the River Valley. As a faculty member at a university myself, I am amazed that Dr. Brown's administration is so cavalier about disregarding the rules of his institution and making decisions that penalize tenured faculty members without consultation of either the Faculty Grievance committee or the Board of Directors. Please follow up on this piece. The Democrat Gazette has already done a great job of scratching the surface. Please do what you can to show local readers what's actually happening at TECH when an employee publicly disagrees with the administration.

Thank you for following this story. Please, I urge you to continue digging and possibly looking into what I have read elsewhere suggesting that the decision to demote these faculty members was made during illegal communications between the university president and board members. If this is the case, it could be the bigger picture happening here.

I would like to thank your for your coverage of the situation with Tech Theatre.

I ask that you dig deeper and follow up the story on the allegations that Brown was involved in some backdoor, behind the scenes and potentially illegal conversations with Board Members involving his apparent unilateral decision to demote Ardith Morris after 29 years of dedicated service.

I hope that you will follow up with this story, as it seems that a rival news company has reviled information that indicates this decision was made without the consultation of the Board of Trustees even though Strasner is on record stating it was. If this is the kind of closed door shady leadership that is really going on there, someone should dig deeper. I hope you will.

In the press release it sounds like the university is going to do a nation wide search of a new director. What director is going to want to come to a school that does not support the arts? After seeing and hearing what all the administration has done to that department I sure I wouldn't.